In a last-minute vote, Congress approved a temporary bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, along with funding to provide amnesty to as many as 5 million illegal aliens. The bill passed late Friday would extend funding for one week.

Again, it is the dreaded thought of being blamed that has Congress in full retreat. Like abused dogs, when the liberals raise their voices, the so-called leadership cowers and retreats to the nearest corner.

Thomas Jefferson spoke of courage. He put it very simply: “One man with courage is a majority.” Obviously, that one man is not in Washington.

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26 states filed suit against this amnesty, led by the state of Texas. Still, Congress can find no voice to win this urgent issue. One clear exception is Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), who in a press release made his position very clear.

The decision by the federal district court in Texas is a victory for the rule of law. The President’s extra-constitutional actions were rooted in political expediency and were devoid of a serious legal underpinning. This is not and never was about immigration law- as evidenced by the President’s consistent admission that he lacked the legal authority to do precisely what he did. Prosecutorial discretion is real and constitutionally valid. It is not, however, a synonym for anarchy wherein the executive branch can pick and choose portions of laws to enforce and ignore.

Cited in Judge Andrew Hanen’s opinion was this quote from 1981 testimony of former Attorney General William French Smith: “We have neither the resources, the capability, nor the motivation to uproot and deport millions of illegal aliens,…”

This same sentiment seems to prevail today. It is played over and over as too big to succeed. The other argument is about a kinder, gentler solution that puts Americans firmly in the backseat, left to pick up the tab.

According to the U. S. Census Bureaus 2013 Annual Survey of Public Employment and Payroll, the federal government employs 2.75 million people; and 2.5 million are full time. March payroll for 2013 totaled $16,502,987,788.

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It would seem the only solid point is that the federal government lacks the motivation to solve this issue.

The argument against enforcement of our laws is a straw man. The damage to our form of government is permanent if this action is left unchecked by Congress.

Judge Hanen also makes clear in his 50-page opinion that the decision to be made is not in support of or against policy. It is a matter of legal authority and compliance with the separation of powers in the Constitution. The court’s decision was to stay the implementation of this executive action to allow the 26 states time to prepare a suit.

It seems that Congress is content to allow another “equal” branch of government to decide what the balance of power is to be in the federal government.

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With the absence of strong leadership in Congress, we venture into new and dangerous territory for the self-governance of this republic.

Trey Gowdy said in his opening remarks to the Judiciary committee that future Presidents will make full use of this precedent and expand their executive powers further.

New federal regulations will soon be put forward to give government control over drones and the Internet–and tighten its grip on the healthcare industry. When Congress becomes a rubber stamp for the bureaucrats and corporations, we will have lost liberty, becoming drones ourselves. Our rights will then be completely a dispensation of government, as Ronald Reagan remarked in his 1964 speech.

There is one short week left to take action before the next vote on the Homeland Security Budget and the illegal usurpation of legislative powers granted to Congress under Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States.

The very revolution fought to gain our independence was to a large part started because of the tyranny wrought by a government far away in which we were not represented–and allowed the despotism of a king to deny our inalienable rights.

Will you leave this up to the same court that ruled that the penalty imposed on Obamacare is actually a tax?

Will you also leave this up to your elected officials without so much as a phone call?

The views expressed in this opinion article are solely those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website.